The Value of Equivalence
by orangeyhairedimmortal
Summary: Ling and LanFan are going back home to Xing but some feelings need to be realized and played out. Rated M for sexy scenes at the end. Oneshot. LingFan


Ling and LanFan made their way back to Xing on horses with enough supplies to last them halfway through the desert and Old Man Fuu wrapped up good and tight in a coffin that was being dragged on a sled by one of the horses. LanFan missed her grandfather terribly for at least allowed for conversation to flow around her as the old man and her prince would speak. She was quiet and knew she wasn't much company to her prince… That and the fact that her arm was sore. _It feels like it will rain soon…_ she thought to herself.

Now she understood what Edward Elric was talking about when he mentioned the ache in his stubs where the skin stopped and the metal began. LanFan massaged her shoulder, not helping much since the automail was in the way.

"Is your arm hurting?" Ling asked.

LanFan looked at her prince as he looked at her in his usual squinty eyed expression. She smiled softly from under her mask and shook her head.

"Not much. Just a dull ache."

"Are you sure?" he asked with a frown. "Edward said that the desert was taxing on the metal-to-skin part and it sometimes gets too hot or too cold. If you are in pain, you should tell me."

"Young Lord, you shouldn't concern yourself with me."

Ling's frown deepened as the stopped his horse looked at his bodyguard.

"Old Man Fuu was like a father to me and you are like a sister. How can I let you suffer when you have lost so much?"

LanFan turned her head, but not for the loss of her grandfather, but for the hurtful words of her prince. Of course, he would never know those three words could be so piercing and like a stake in her heart.

"I thank you for you concern, Young Lord, but as your protector, it is my duty to take bullets for you. As my job, I do not feel I should complain."

Ling sighed and turned back toward Xing, making his horse go. LanFan followed behind and looked at her young lord. He had become stronger and fill out his clothes more ever since he had Greed inside of him. The running around and fighting tones his muscles and broadened his shoulders, making him return to his country as a man instead of the selfish boy he had left as. _He is fit to be the emperor now… there is no way he can love me now._

Ling mentally kicked himself. He was concerned for LanFan but he didn't want to seem too perceptive of her. He would never be able to tell her how he really felt. With the confidence he gained from Greed and the terror he saw in Amestris, he was sure he could become the emperor now. But he wanted LanFan at his side and now just as his bodyguard, but as his empress. He doubted the court would approve but he wanted to try it. He needed to _try… Like a sister…_ he chastised in his head. _How lame! Greed would be able to say something to her. Crude, but I'm sure it would be the honest truth._ He stole another glance at LanFan as she was trying hide her discomfort with her arm.

It wasn't hot but the temperature was dropping, bringing clouds to the desert. Whether more would gather up and form rain clouds for the desert was in God's hands.

"We'll stop halfway if you like." Ling said to her.

"No need. There are no inns for miles and I'm fine to go on as long as you can."

Ling smiled at her persistence; she was tough, which is why she was his bodyguard.

"Alright then…"

They continued on until the horses grew tired. They stopped and fed them, eating food for themselves as well.

"Is your arm alright? The clouds didn't stay long enough to rain and now it's sweltering."

"It's burning a little but nothing I can't handle. I can put cool water on it or take off the plating if I get too hot."

"Are you sure?" he asked, eating some dried meat.

"Young Lord, I promise you I am fine." LanFan said with a smile.

Ling sighed. He didn't mean to sound whiney or over concerned but hot metal would burn her skin horribly and to think of the end of her stub burned with that metal… He cringed at the thought but then again, she had only one arm in reality. She cut it off to save him.

"I don't mean to sound meddlesome… I am sorry that you lost your arm because of me."

LanFan looked at her prince and stared at him.

"It was my fault as well, my lord. We both underestimated the power of the homunculus. The arm slowed us down so I sacrificed it… To alchemists, an arm may not equal a life but if I hadn't sacrificed it, we would both be dead. It was as close to equivalent exchange as you'd let me have it, young lord."

Ling turned away from her, feeling regret and guilt. It was _his_ fault that Fuu died. It was _his_ fault LanFan now only had one arm. If only he weren't the prince and needed such protecting from such loyal people…

LanFan took her mask off and wiped her face of sweat. She drank some water and undid her hair to redo it again. The automail _was_ chafing but she could bare it. What she really wanted was a bath to get all the sweat off of her and feel clean.

"How close to a town are we?" Ling asked.

LanFan finished putting her hair up and grabbed the map from the satchel and opened it up.

"There looks to be a very small town nearby."

"Once the horses are rested, we will continue on."

She nodded and decided to keep the mask off for the rest of the journey to keep her face from getting sweaty and the droplets rolling into her eyes. The salt stung and she was having enough trouble with the sand.

"I hope we can get grandfather home quickly. I do not want his body to suffer too much damage." She said, looking at the coffin.

"We can see if the inn has a cellar to store him in to keep that from happening. We will bury him as soon as we got back to Xing."

"Thank you…"

"It's the least I can do for him now."

He took one more sip of water and then got up, walking to the horse and adjusting the saddle. He got on and LanFan followed after.

They finally made it to the inn and Ling made the arrangements. When he said only one room, LanFan hid her surprise but then she thought about it and the Amestrian money didn't have much use this close to Xing so they were limited on funds. Someone took care of the horses and Fuu's body as Ling led the way to the room.

"You take your bath first; get cool water on your automail."

LanFan wanted to reject but Ling had already turned away from her, not allowing her to deny his request. She undressed and turned the water on, letting the dirt and grime come off of her. She scrubbed and then polished up the automail, scrubbing with extra strength to get the automail looking halfway decent. She got out, taking a towel, and dried her skin off quickly, taking more time to dry the automail for fear of rust.

She relinquished the bathroom to Ling and he went in to wash up. LanFan looked at her clothes and decided they would need to be washed since she had no other clothes. Ling had a couple extra pairs of clothing… At least she thought he did, she thought as she rummaged through the satchels.

"LanFan? What are you doing?"

She gasped, turning and accidentally letting the towel fall from her body. She got on her hands and knees, scrambling to get it but Ling had walked over to her and nonchalantly took his foot, moving the towel out of reach for her. She slowly looked up and saw her prince staring at her intently from above, a nonchalant expression on his face and his black eyes looking at her strangely.

"Young lord-"

"No."

"Um…"

"My name is Ling Yao."

"Of course, sir, but-"

"I have that name. Address me as such."

"But-"

Ling knelt in front of her and grabbed her chin, making her look at him.

"What's my name, LanFan?"

"Li-Ling…"

"That's my girl. Say it again for me; with confidence this time… like the way you talk when you're mad."

LanFan looked at her prince and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Ling."

Ling smiled and LanFan felt something warm in her body. The smile was the same type of smile that Greed used to give her when he was inside of her master, using his body and talking with his voice. But Greed was gone and seeing him smile that same way all on his own…

"Can I please get up?" she asked.

"No."

He stood back up and she sighed, sitting back on her knees, putting her arms over her exposed breasts. The automail had cooled from the water and made her shiver, her nipples growing taut with cold. _I thought that Greed left him… were we wrong?_

"May I ask why I have to stay like this?"

"You're always covered all the time and I never get to see your body."

"My clothes allow for the stealth I need to protect you, milord." She said, closing her eyes and trying to keep herself from losing her composure.

"True… but they are also a hinderance."

LanFan turned around to look at Ling, who was just staring at her from the bed.

For the longest time, she stayed that way –on her knees with no towel and her arms covering herself up- until he suddenly grabbed her arms and stood her up. LanFan gasped and her knees gave out from being in that position too long and she blushed immensely when their skin made contact with each other's. His towel was still on his lower half but this was too close to her prince.

"Young lord!"

"No."

"L-L-Ling! What are you doing?"

"I can't hold it back any longer, LanFan. I have to tell you how I feel… I want you."

LanFan went rigid and looked up at him slowly.

"Wh-what?"

"I've wanted you for a long, long time." He said, his voice heavy with desire and his eyes glittering with lust.

"But you are the prince, heir to the throne of Xing."

"I am aware of my status."

"Milord, you can't do this!"

Ling pulled from her, putting her at arm's length, and frowned deeply at her.

"Do you not want me?"

"I-it's not that. It's just so inappropriate… It's so unheard of-"

Ling put his finger over her mouth.

"Shh… Your prince is speaking… I have wanted you for a long time but I never had the courage to say anything. Of course, with Fuu with us it was a little different, but Greed taought me something while he was inside of me."

"Wh-what was that?"

"Sometimes you have to be greedy to get what you want in life."

He slowly leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the lips. At first LanFan resisted but then she relaxed and continued to let him kiss her. He took his hand and reach up, taking her arm away from his chest and putting it around his neck.

"Relax, LanFan… I'm not going to hurt you."

The words fell so softly yet heavily laden with unbridled love and lust that LanFan did relax. Ling reached up and cupped her exposed breast in his hand, squeezing just a little. Electricity ran through her body as she felt her insides get warm and Ling's kisses went down her neck and toward her breasts.

"Young lord-"

"No."

"Ling, why are you doing this? Why do you want me?"

"Why? Why _not_?"

"Look at me. I'm broken and unworthy, just your bodyguard. I- I shouldn't even be in your services anymore with this body. Just because I have this metal arm doesn't mean that I-"

Ling had been ignoring her thoroughly and when he wrapped his mouth around the tip of her taut breast, she gasped, putting her hands on his shoulders to keep her shuddering from making her explode.

"Your arm gives you character. It's sexy… invigorating… gives you class… It shows how much loyalty you have for me…"

He suckled her other breast and LanFan couldn't stop a small noise of pleasure from escaping from her throat. She ran her hands through his hair, taking the tie out of it and letting his long black hair go loose. The black strands cascaded over his broad shoulders and LanfFan grabbed a handful of it, throwing her head back when Ling ran his nose up toward her neck and kissed it up to her ear.

"I love you, LanFan." He whispered, nipping her ear.

LanFan's body surrendered itself to her prince, taking them both to a bliss that reached heights beyond their imaginations.


End file.
